120 



anthers ovate, versatile. Ovarium superior, 2-celled ; s^/e 1 , very short ; s%»irt simple; 

 ovula erect, definite. Berry round, often by abortion 1 -celled, pulpy. Seeds 4 or 5, or 

 fewer by abortion, bony, erect ; albumen hard ; embryo erect, about one half the length of 



the albumen; radicle taper; cotyledons lanceolate, plano-convex Scrambling, climbing 



shrubs, with tumid separable joints. Leaves with stipulae at the base, the lower opposite, 

 the upper alternate, simple or compound. Peduncles racemose, sometimes by abortion 

 changing to tendrils. Flowers small, green. 



ArriNiTiEs. The tumid joints, which separate from each other by an 

 articulation, along with the many other points of agreement in their fructi- 

 fication, approximate them to Geraniaceae. Their compound leaves, and 

 their evident relation to Leea, which is itself possibly Meiiaceous, indicates 

 their affinity to the latter order ; and their habit and inflorescence to Capri- 

 foliacese, through Hedera. The tendrils of the order are the branches of in- 

 florescence, the flowers of which are abortive, 



GEociRAPiiY. Inhabitants of woods in the milder and hotter parts of 

 both hemispheres, especially in the East Indies. 



Properties. Acid leaves, and a fruit like that of the common grape, 

 is the usual character of the order. The sap or tears of the vine are a 

 popular remedy in France for chronic ophthalmia, but they are of little 

 value. The leaves, on account of their astringency, are sometimes used in 

 diarrhoea. But the dried fruit and wine are the really important products 

 of the grape ; products which are, however, yielded by no other of the order, 

 if we except the Fox-grapes of North America, which scarcely deserve to 

 be excepted. The acid of the grape is chiefly the tartaric ; malic acid, 

 however, exists in them. The sugar contained in grapes diff'ers slightly 

 from common sugar in composition, containing a smaller quantity of carbon. 

 Turner, 682. 



M. DecandoUe has 2 tribes, the last of which is doubtful. 



Tribe 1. ViNIFERiE, or SARMENTACEiE. 



Corolla polypetalous. Stamens opposite the petals. Peduncles often 

 with tendrils. 



Examples. Cissus, Vitis, 



Tribe 2. Leeace.i,. 

 Corolla monopetalous. Stamens alternate ? with the petals, often mona- 

 delphous. Fruit and seeds scarcely known. Tendrils wanting. 

 Examples. Leea, Lasianthera. 



CV. MELIACE^. The Bead-tree Tribe. 



Meli/E, Juss. Gen. 203. (178»); Mem. Mus. 3. 430. (1817); Dee. Prodr. 1. 019. (1824.) 



Diagnosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with definite hypogynous sta- 

 mens combined in a long tube, concrete carpella, an ovarium of several 

 cells with the placentae in the axis, an imbricated calyx, symmetrical flowers, 

 definite exalbuminous apterous seeds with straight embryo, and sub-sessile 

 anthers. 



Anomalies. 



Essential CnARACTER — Sepals 4 or r», more or less united. Petals the same 

 number, hypofjynous, conniving at the base, or even coluTiiig, usually having a valvate 

 wstivation. Stamens twice as many as the jictals ((iccasionally equal in number, 

 sometimes 3 or 4 times as many) ; jilamcnts cohering in a long tube; anthers sessile 

 within the orifice of the tube. Disk frefpiently higlily developed, surrounding the 

 ovarium like a cup. Ovarium single, with several cells; style 1 ; stifjmas distinct or 

 combined ; ovules 1 or 2 in each cell. Fruit berried, drupaceous or capsular, many-celled. 



